Soccer Experts Blog

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As Chelsea's Champions League stars celebrated the night away after their comeback against Fenerbahce, Liverpool's Steven Gerrard had other things on his mind.

John Terry, Frank Lampard and Co. appeared to have no worries as they partied at celebrity hangout Funky Buddha in central London.

But Gerrard, who will hope to lead his Reds into the Champions League final when they take on Chelsea in the semis on April 22 and 30, has been in the press for off-field matters.

Liverpool mob figure John Kinsella, who is in court accused of taking part in a robbery, told how he had been contacted by Gerrard's father early in the England star's career and asked to help deal with threats made by a local gangster.

Kinsella showed the jury a letter from Paul Gerrard detailing the "total respect" the family has for him.

The case continues.

THOUGHT OF THE NIGHT

"I would like to say that in 2001 my son Steven was being terrorized by a notorious Liverpool gangster known as 'The Psycho' who was threatening to maim my son by shooting him in the legs" – Steven Gerrard's father, Paul.

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Associated Press

Major League Soccer's next franchise continues to tick all the right boxes with the Seattle Sounders FC team name unveiled this week.

The club owners listened to fan pressure and ripped up their three-name shortlist to select the historic "Sounders' title following a sustained campaign from supporters.

It's only a name, but with the new team's first game still a year away, it is further proof that the heavyweight ownership group that includes Drew Carey, Microsoft billionaire Paul Allen and Hollywood producer Joe Roth is determined to listen to public opinion.

That approach has already been rewarded by more than 14,000 season ticket sales. And every indication is that Seattle will not be coming into the league just to make up the numbers.

Thierry Henry has already been linked with a move to the Pacific Northwest, but even if that doesn't happen, expect a high-profile signing to get the club rolling right away.

THOUGHT OF THE NIGHT

"The support of the soccer community in Seattle has been tremendous, far exceeding our expectations including their interest and participation in the team name" – MLS Commissioner Don Garber.

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According to a report from Mark Irwin in the The Sun, Britain's biggest-selling newspaper, Thierry Henry could be on his way to Seattle when MLS's next franchise joins the league in 2009.

The Barcelona striker is unsettled at the Camp Nou and with the Spanish club planning a summer cleaning, he could be on his way out.

Henry has previously stated his love of New York and his desire to finish his career there, but he could be tempted by the deep pockets of Seattle owner Paul Allen.

The figure of 150,000 pounds a week (approximately $300,000) that is quoted seems slightly excessive, despite Allen's incredible wealth.

At 30, Henry still has much to offer and would be a nightmare for MLS defenders to deal with. However, if he does set his heart on a move to MLS, the New York Red Bulls cannot be counted out of the race to sign him.

Even though New York already has two designated players and two quality strikers in Juan Pablo Angel and the Europe-bound Jozy Altidore, the Red Bull company would bend over backwards to find a way to bring Henry in.

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Associated Press

CARSON, Calif. – The stars finally aligned for the Los Angeles Galaxy on Thursday night – both on and off the field.

For the first time since David Beckham's arrival, he and Landon Donovan clicked perfectly in sync, with each setting up a goal for the other in a 2-0 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes.

After the game, Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant was welcomed with open arms to the Galaxy locker room at Home Depot Center and joined in the celebration following the team's first victory of the season.

Bryant spoke with Beckham, who attended the Lakers' game against the Washington Wizards at Staples Center on Sunday, and his European upbringing also allowed him to converse in Italian with head coach Ruud Gullit, who spent much of his career at AC Milan.

The Galaxy kit man also had a team shirt with "Bryant 24" made up the basketball star, who is a huge soccer fan and a dedicated follower of Spanish club Barcelona, the fierce rivals of Beckham's old employers at Real Madrid. Even so, two of L.A.'s highest-profile athletes seem to have struck up an instant rapport.

Bryant was fortunate to have seen one of the Galaxy's best performances since Beckham signed last year. The display was just the kind of effort that Gullit will want to see, with his key flair players in Beckham and Donovan pulling the strings and the rest of the squad sticking to the task of providing excellent support.

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There are several reasons why the United States-Mexico soccer rivalry continues to develop into something special.

The main two are: 1) because the teams are evenly matched and 2) because they absolutely despise each other.

U.S. defender Jimmy Conrad did his bit to stoke things up a bit further this week, launching into an attack on the personality of Mexico's Barcelona star Rafa Marquez in this Q&A with USA Today's Beau Dure.

Rivalries like this one need "hate" figures, and Marquez is clearly the man the U.S. players love to get the better of, just as Landon Donovan is a target for Mexico's team and fans.

When the teams meet up in World Cup qualifying later this year, the games may not have too much bearing on reaching South Africa in 2010 because both sides are heavy favorites to advance.

But you can bank on plenty of passion, especially if some more comments like Conrad's go flying back and forth over the coming months.

THOUGHT OF THE NIGHT

"He (Marquez) is the one that basically refuses to make eye contact with any American players because we're apparently a step below or a whole level below whatever he thinks in his own mind." – Jimmy Conrad, U.S. defender

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Associated Press

While the United States is in the grip of March Madness, the population of England will also be gathered around their television screens on Sunday for the biggest double-header of the Premiership season.

Television station Sky Sports has billed the matches of Chelsea vs. Arsenal and Manchester United vs. Liverpool as "Grand Slam Sunday," a name which reflects the absence of any other imaginative title.

With the Big Four still in the hunt for the title (although Liverpool need a miracle), the eyes of a nation will turn towards Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford. Expect the mind games to start in earnest over the next day or so when Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger, Avram Grant and Rafa Benitez host their final press conferences before the big games.

Benitez's swipe at Sir Alex in the Guardian, when he criticized the United boss for trying to influence referees, is just the appetizer.

When Sunday comes, England's pubs will be packed with supporters and millions more will tune in from the comfort of their living rooms. Bookmakers are expecting a bonanza, with tens of millions likely to be wagered on the outcome of the matches.

When the dust settles at the end of the season, it is more than likely that this weekend will be seen as one of the most pivotal moments of an enthralling campaign.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

"(Cristiano) Ronaldo is in form but what about (Fernando) Torres? Maybe United will worry about him …" – Rafa Benitez, Liverpool manager

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